We received information of a Rolex GMT-Master “Pepsi” which was on the wrist of the pilot who ejected from his US Air Force F-105 fighter jet. The watch was recently acquired by Bob’s Watches. Here is the story.
Story time: pilot ejects from fighter jet with his Rolex
Incredible story. On July 14, 1978, Captain David Bartell had just taken off when the engine on his F105-D fighter bomber jet had flamed out. Seconds before the aircraft crashed, he on pulled the seat ejection lever, blasting him into safety. His parachute deployed and he safely floated about 30m to the ground, just missing the detonating aircraft as it slid across the roadway and burned. On his wrist was his Rolex GMT-Master, which he bought just a year earlier. Apparently it too had survived the incident.
The watch is the 1977 Rolex GMT-Master “Pepsi”, which is now a cult collector favourite. The GMT-Master was produced between 1959 and 1980/ The 1977 model is the Ref. 1675 and is powered by the Caliber 1575 automatic movement. It had the iconic red and blue bi-directional bezel.
We came to understand the exact watch in the ejection incident, S/n 5136186 still had the original box, papers, purchase receipt, newspaper clippings of the incident, photographs of the pilot’s military service and a personal letter recounting the experience. This package was acquired by Bob’s Watches recently. Bob’s Watches is a leading a leading online marketplace dedicated to buying, selling, and trading pre-owned luxury timepieces, with a primary focus on Rolex watches. A quick look on the website does not show this watch for sale, perhaps it is being kept as part of their private collection.
From the photographs we received and examined, the watch looks to be in remarkably good condition. The watch is with the highly collectable Mark V matte dial with the Swiss T<25 Tritium dial. Tritium has a half life of 12.4 years, so the lume of this watch should be rather faint, but it had the characteristic cream discolouration which is very beautiful and quite charming. The acrylic crystal also appears to be in excellent condition. And the “Pepsi” bezel seems to have not faded, but with good hue. We have not examined the watch in person, so are only able to rely on the photographs released.
The caseback is engraved with the name of Capt. David Bartell, while the bracelet clasp features pilot wings and a personal inscription.
“The Pepsi GMT has always been one of the most collectible Rolex models because of its direct connection to aviation and travel,” said Paul Altieri, Founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches. “But every once in a while, a watch surfaces that perfectly captures the spirit of what the GMT was built for. This is one of those watches.” Altieri noted that while collectors often seek rarity and condition, stories like this elevate a watch into an entirely different category. “You can find another Pepsi GMT. You can’t find another life story attached to it.”
This year, Rolex discontinued the Pepsi GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO in steel, the direct descendant of the Ref. 1675, and no “Pepsi” GMT-Master is in the current catalog.
